St. Pete Releases Short List of Police Chief Candidates

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman released a list of the 10 semifinalists for the Chief of Police position. The city used the Mercer consulting group for the national search. Candidates come from as far north as New Haven, CT, whose Assistant Chief has applied, and as far west as Goodyear, AZ, whose Chief of Police (a former Floridian) has applied.

Mayor Kriseman said he expects to narrow the candidates to no more than four in the next month and a half.

“I will invite key constituency groups to city hall to review these semifinalists, subsequently narrow the field to three to four, and then invite each semifinalist to St. Petersburg for in-person interviews and a public forum,” the mayor said in an email to city council Friday afternoon.

The mayor does not expect to make this decision without resident input and promised he would give St. Pete residents the chance to “weigh in online.”

In that same email, the mayor reminded council that the city charter prohibited any council member from “requesting the appointment or hiring of any employee of the city or in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, taking part in the appointment or employment of any employee of the city.”

“Therefore,” he wrote, “the feedback you provide to me or my office must not be in the form of a recommendation. However, I do welcome your thoughts on each candidate’s strengths and weaknesses.”

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